Embossing backs of books



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1..

A. KRAH.

EMBOSSING BAGKS OPBOOKS. No. 515,051. Patented Feb. 20, 1894-.

a a a"- k Wi'zvzeazrarx (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. KRAH.

EMBOSSING BACKS OF BOOKS. No. 515,051. Patented Feb. 20, 1894.

Wm WM (No Model.) .3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. KRAH.

EMBOSSING BACKS OF BOOKS. N0. 515,051. Patented Feb ZO, 1894.

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in 'r'rns ARlV IIN KRAI-I, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

EMBOSSING BACKS OF BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,051, dated February 20, 1894.

Application filed July 18. 1893. SerialNo.480,859. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARMIN KRAH, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Berlin,

in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Embossing of Backs of Books; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In tooling the backs of bound books or embossing ornamental lines thereon, book-binders generally either arrange the lines at equal distances apart, or at any rate preserve a certain relation between the different lines, which hardly ever varies no matter whether the book is small, or large or the back of the book short or long. As, moreover, the number of lines at the back of each book is generally the same, it follows, that mechanical devices may be employed in performing this part of a book-binders work.

This invention relates to an improved device intended for this purpose, and to enable this device to be clearly understood I will describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which the said device is shown in two difierentforms, both based-upon the same principle. This principle consists in the arrangement of back-tools or knifeedges, adapted to emboss the back of the book, in combination with mechanism so arranged as to move them simultaneously closer together or farther apart as required without altering the relative position of the said knifeedges to each other.

In one form of my improved device, shown in Figures 1 to 3, a rod is arranged along one side of an iron plate awhich may be stiffened or strengthened by two longitudinal ribs a a and the length and width of which somewhat exceed the dimensions of the back of the largest book that may require tooling. The said rod 1) is secured to the plate a, at its ends by means of brackets or lugs c. A number of pressing bars or knife-edges d, (1 d d d d corresponding to the number of ornamental lines to be ruled or embossed, on the backs of the books, are adjustably arranged upon the said rod 1). These bars or knife-edges are guided on the side opposite to the said rod 1) by another thin rodeand as shown in Fig. 2, (being a section on the line 2', 2, Fig. 1) they are recessed in the center and rounded at their operative edge. When the back of a book is to be ruled itis pressed against these knife-edges and theimpressions which they leave serve to guide the binder as to the lines to be produced.

To enablethe ruling bars or knife-edges dto d to be so adjusted or displaced that, whatever the size of the book, the relative position of or relative distances between, the said bars or knife-edges always remains the same, it is proposed to employ the following device, viz: Each of the ruling bars or knife-edges cl to d has a joint or pivot at f about which suitable rods g to g are adapted to turn. The free ends of these rods pass through studs h to h in which they are secured by means of set-screws. These studs are arranged to turn upon a flat rail or bar r1 pivoted to the end of the plate a at k; the studs h being arranged upon the said rail 4 at equal distances apart it follows that the rods are also equidistant from and parallel to each other, provided that the knife-edges d to d are at equal distances apart. When however, it is desired that any of the knife-edges should be brought nearer together or farther apart, it is only necessary to loosen the set-screw of the corresponding stud or studs, h, whereupon the corresponding knife'edge, or knife-edges may be shifted or adjusted as maybe desired. After a knifeedge has been moved to the required position, it may be secured therein by simply tightening the corresponding set-screw. The relation of the knife-edges to each other will, however, remain unaltered notwithstanding any adjustment of the said rail. In addition to these knife-edges, d to d already mentioned there is provided an additional knifeedge d capable of being by means of a screw Z adjusted independently of the others upon the rod b. This knife-edge is independent a-lsoof the movement of the other knife-edges, the object being to provide for the ruling of the lowermost of the lines on the back of a book, as the position of that line varies in most cases. Beyond the two terminal knifeedges there are provided retaining or guard plates m 1% one of which an is screwed or otherwise arranged adjustably upon the rod IOC I) while the other 1% is clamped by means of a screw 02 upon a sleeve attached to one of the knife-edges d; The distance between the guard plates m and m is determined by the height or length of the back of the book, or by the size of the book generally.

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows the apparatus in its most expanded and Fig. 3 in its most contracted form, the guard plates m and m therefore appearing respectively, the shortest and longest distance apart. Between the two extreme positions the guard plates may be adj usted to intermediate positions so as to suit all sizes of books; the knife-edges being accordingly moved toward or away from each other and the desired distance between the plates m and m being thus secured at the same time. To prevent the mechanism from accidentally getting out of adjustment while in use, one of the screws f is tightened. In the drawings the screwfupon the knife-edge d is shown provided with a winged head so that it may be tightened at will. By tightening this screw the split tube or sleeve appertaining to the corresponding knife-edge d is firmly clamped upon the rod, so that any relative displacement of the parts is avoided.

Another form of the mechanism is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The only difference between this modification and the form already described consists in the method of guiding the various knife-edges between two stationary guide-rails q and q. Six sliding rails 19' to p are so arranged that they may be readily displaced or adjusted relatively to each other. By means of an angle bracket r (Fig. 4) each knife-edge is suitably connected with one of the guiding rails, while each of the sliding rails is in its turn connected with one of the pivoted rods 9' to 9 above mentioned. By this arrangement the same result is obtained as by the corresponding arrangements in the form of apparatus first above described. The knife-edges d are moreover provided with two arrangements enabling strips of paper or ribs of card-board, subsequently to be attached to the back of the book, to be ruled with lines. These flat strips of paper, or card board are slid in between the front or lower part of the knife-edge d and the base of the main plate a. For this purpose the space 3 (Figs. 2 and 6) between the lower edge of d and the plate a is made somewhat larger than it is at the remaining part of the said knife-edge, so that the strip of paper or cardboard may be inserted at 8 until it meets the longitudinal rib a of the main plate, when, by means of a pencil or the like,the required lines or strokes may be marked along the knife-edges upon the said strip or a paper strip may be similarly ruled by inserting it into the notch t with which the knife-edge (1 (Fig.2) is provided.

'I sometimes employ, as shown in Fig. 6, a modified form of back-tool, which consists of two brackets or supports carrying between .them a thin wire or thread to. When the back of a book is placed upon this species of rack 01 having wires or threads stretched across it at regular intervals the said threads or wires to exactly fit the shape of the back of the book and leave thereon a mark or impression which comes out much more sharply and distintly than it does when produced by a rigid knife-edge or plate such as that illustrated in Fig. 2.

What I claim is 1. A device for ruling ornamental lines on the backs of bound books, consisting of knifeedges (01' to d") adapted to slide upon a common rod (b) the relative distance between which is adjusted by an arrangement of rods (9' to g") pivoted to the above mentioned rod, the free ends of which swing and are adjustable, in studs (77/ to 77, capable of turning upon a common bar or rail (1'), substantially as described.

2. A device for ruling lines on the backs of books consisting of a'series of knife edges adjustably supported, a pivoted bar 2' and rod connections between said bar and knife edges for moving the same simultaneously, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Berlin, this 23d day of June, 1893.

ARMIN KRAH. 

